Operation: Gundam
by ArashiEragon
Summary: ORIGINAL FIC: NOTE: This DOESN'T have anything in common with GW... it is an original Gundam fic, but there isn't a category for that...Rei Izumi is an Ace Pilot with the Earth Democratic Alliance, is given an unexpected job working with a secret project
1. Prolouge to Gundam

OOC: Alright, this is a fic idea that I've been working on, a Gundam fanfic which takes pace in a different timeline.. I apologise for the rushed prologue, but it's only setting the scene, so… I promise Chapter 01 will be better… please R&R

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gundam. However, 99 of what will be in this is my own ideas… unless their somewhere else, which I dun know about ;;

center Operation 00: Prelude to Gundam. /center 

A yellow cursor bleeped on inside of the man's blue visor, just above eye lids which opened- grey eyes with brown hair waving over them, and which stared, almost listlessly, into the never ending black void in front of them, dotted and sparkled with lights. There was a cracking sound, the one of a radio buzzing to life, and a male voice suddenly swelled within the yellow helmet.

"Pilot zero-five, do you read me?"

The man inside the helmet scowled slightly, and instead let his eye's fall shut once again.

i 'Five more minutes… just five more minutes. i He thought to himself, feeling his consciousness fade, back to the darkness that he swam within, even outside his min-

"Zero-Five! Do you read me?"

The boy scowled, and his eye's snapped open in irritation, mind now suddenly alert and awake with a sharpness that his half exhausted mind almost found amusing. He must have been more tired than he thought, since even as he flexed a thick, yellow insulating gloved hand around a joystick in front of him, he took in his cramped surroundings as though he had never seen them before.

He reached up a hand, and flicked a number of switches which were placed upon the cramped ceiling of the pilot's quarters, lights activating at his touch, and illuminating the black cockpit. The man- or perhaps the word 'boy' would be more appropriate. His body, which was encased in a thick yellow material, like his gloves with a thick, orange insulating chest pad, seemed much more proportioned to a teenagers than an adults, even if he moved with the fluid gait of a veteran. He leaned back into a comfortable position in his black cushioned seat, and he flexed his fingers once again, his thumbs coming to rest on the tips of the joysticks, fingers resting in the grooves. The young pilot exhaled slightly, misting the man's blue visor, and causing his chest, with the word "REI" stencilled on it to move up and down slowly, steady, in rhythm, though with the slight rush of irritation.

"Yeah, yeah, I hear ya." He replied beneath his breath, allowing the microphone inside the padded helmet to pick up his voice.

If the voice on the other end of the line noticed his annoyance, it gave no indication as it continued.

"Zero-Five, the target is now within your range, prepare for execution."

The man nodded, even though he knew the operator couldn't see him, and leaned forwards seriously, staring into the luminous screen in front of him, which almost seemed to act as a window to the outside world, an effect gleaned through cameras, linking him to the outside world. For the first time, the pilot's eyes turned to the screen, displaying dark space with scattered pinpoints of light, which were suddenly split, ten lines racing down the screen as ten raced across, splitting it into a grid. The darkness of space beeped, and resorted to a green field, five yellow triangles located far north of a single circle. The map rotated, and a three-d image appeared in a smaller screen by the man's side charting space- the enemy mobile suits, the ruins between they were entangled between.

Almost despite himself, the man smirked.

"Only five rebels… Command, this is Pilot Zero-Five, declining back-up." He commented confidently, waiting a moment with bated breath, before clearance beeped through. He grinned to himself.

"Awesome." He grinned to himself, pushing the joysticks forwards suddenly.

In the black vacuum of space, the mobile suit flared to life, the boosters upon it's back flaring to life with a golden glow, it's eye's were illuminated by an emerald light. The large mecha seemed almost unfinished- it's small head was fixed to a large, grey body, whose fingers wrapped tightly around the gun clutched close to it's chest. With a roar that never sounded, the mech suddenly rushed forwards, the propelling force enough to cause the pilot inside the tremor and shake in his seat, even as a smirk was scribbled to his face.

'Time to show why I'm the best' he decided, as his mobile suit raised it's gun slowly, an action totally at odds with the sudden rapid fire shots it unleashed. Five rapid pulls of a trigger, five blasts and, in the distance, a single explosion.

"Hey, lookit that!" Rei blinked, surprising even himself for once. "Didn't expect to actually hit anyth- "

His banter was cut short, however, by the angry visage which flashed on screen, a glowering man with a fat face. Rei grimaced, and sinked into his chair.

"…hello there colonel…"

"PILOT! What in God's name do you think you are doing, firing on our own men like that?" The military official spat on the screen as he spoke, the action causing Rei to sigh, and press a button opposite him in his cockpit. Instantly, the lights around him dimmed down, the only source of illumination coming from the small, green radar in the corner.

"My radar fucked up, sir." He replied truthfully. "I thought it was the enemy…"

"The enemy was there. Ten minutes ago. When you were asleep!" was the angry retort, causing Rei to grimace once more, and sink into his seat- if he could go any lower, he would have. Without a doubt.

"Sorry sir." He apologised quickly- the sooner this was done, the better…

"Hmph."

He paused for a moment, before continuing. "Are there… any others in my area that I should know about? Scouting or whatever?"

The buzz-cut haired trooper on screen laughed bitterly. "You almost took out one of our men and want to get some more fun? I should have you fucking court marshalled, remember who your fighting next time!"

"The rebels sir. The rebels who want to over throw the Earth Democracy Alliance."

"That's right, and take that tone with me again, and I can gauantee you iwill/i be court marshalled, you understand me?"

Biting back a growl, Rei nodded. He should have been paying more attention, he admitted that much- his sleepy, half-awake attitude had caused him to miss the simple broadcast Alliance troops sent out, that musta been it. In any case… he was in trouble.

"…what now sir?" he instead enquired. For some reason, a slow smile crept the commander's lips.

Yeah, he was in trouble for sure.

"You are to return to base. It seems as though someone's there for you, and personally, I don't feel like dealing with more of your crap today. I'd like these rook's to return in one piece."

The brown-haired man blinked twice in shock, frowning instantly. Return to base? That was it? What, was there a firing squad waiting for him or something, because he opened fire on a squad of newbs?

Okay well.. considering his record, he almost expected it, but still…

As if reading his mind, the commander laughed, his mis-matched brown and blue eye's seeming to chuckle.

"Don't worry, it's nothing that bad." He commented, now sounding as if his earlier out burst had never happened. "Suffice, you'll want to get back there ASAP."

Instead of questioning, Rei simply saluted his thanks, and turned his suit around- time spent at Earth Base 06 was INIFITELY preferable to escorting a colonel and his squad on a training mission- within moments, the flames of his boosters were a distant speck of light, and his suit, completely out of view.

The Colonel simply smirked, before turning back to his startled crew, whos suits stood around awkwardly.

"Alright maggots, train hard, and maybe someday, you'll be as good a shot as that! Now, Jenkin's, William's, double time!"

A dark room, illuminated solely by a large screen which occupied the entire wall- it seemed foreboding and certaintly, it made the black-suitd man who stepped inside feel… edgy. The light illuminated the edge of his report, but more importantly…

It lit the edges of the table, and the one standing behind it, looking towards the screen, back to him. The soldier resisted a shudder- the Director had that effect on people, especially at a time like this. When the monitor showed scenes from various battles, over laid, split, dozens of time frames displayed as one. How any sense was made, he had no idea. Some of the grunts suggested psychic powers were involved…

Looking at the mess of images, that seemed likely.

"Is there a reason for your entry?"

The man gulped slightly, and snapped to salute the back of the head. He'd been too startled for an instant to remember rank- that mistake could now cost him his life.

"I-I'm sorry, I… I just received The Report and I… thought it best to deliver it here."

"…"

He swallowed nervously.

"Leave it on the table, open at the pages." Came the curt instruction, the figure turning and sitting at the desk- the desk which suddenly found documents dropped upon them- three folders, each with a different photo paper clipped to them. The figure slowly placed a finger under each file in turn, and removed the clip, finger's tracing over the images, opening each report to the front page.

"Intel suggests these pilots have the greatest rate." the soldier informed needlessly.

"And w-"

"What about the fourth pilot?" The higher-up interrupted, causing the man to sweat.

"W-we're… we're currently searching for one now and we…"

He paused, noting the expression, the smirk which split the woman's lips. Swallowing, he dared to ask.

"Do you… have someone in mind, Madame Director?"

The suited woman smiled once more, and pressed a small device in her hand. The screen behind her cleared, replaced with the image of a boy, statistic's shown underneath.

"Rei Izumi. A talented pilot on the outskirts of nowhere." She breathed, without glancing at the exact numbers. Her face broke into a cunning expression.

"He's the one I want."

"Yes Ma'am!" the soldier replied saluting once more, and exiting the room quickly, leaving the woman in the suit alone once again, stirring a drink with one hand slowly, a devilish expression on her features…

Next Time:

Rei returns to base and is met with a startling proposal from a ghost of his past. Next Time: Operation 01:Invitation

OOC: Yeah, I messed up the middle I started writing a week ago, then stopped but.. I promise it'll get better.

Any opinions anyone? Is it worth writing the rest, I promise it gets better… also, would anyone be willing to make a sig for this fic? Just as advertisement…lol


	2. Invitation

The flares from the booster's slowly died down as Rei approached the landing zone, the young pilot slowly pulling back on one of the joysticks. Even as he did, though, he couldn't help but resist a slight grin at the sight shown through his mobile suit, of the airbase far below; several hangers, bunkers, the usual crap which dotted any generic army base. Beyond that, in stark contrast to the empty void he was returning from, large expanse of rust-coloured desert, with patches of grass poking up here and there in random clumps to meet the crystal sky and the burning orb in it.

Rei's grin only became more pronounced. A lot different from space then, where the only life

"Ha-ha, alright!!" he laughed comfortably at the sight. A little… enthusiastic, perhaps, for simply returning to the planet he was born on… but after months of space, a welcome change.

Slowly, his Leo shifted, tilting towards the nearest hanger, one with the large number "7" stamped on the roof, as the thrusters flared up once more. With a sudden jerk forwards, the worn, grey suit suddenly blasted towards the target in a downwards spiral- Rei showing off. As usual.

As his mobile suit sparkled in the distance, it's pilot's expression became slightly more serious.

"Gravity huh?" he muttered under his breath, easing on the joysticks slightly. "Forgot to compensate, damn…"

Strong language, perhaps, but in the situation, appropriate. After all… you can't chastise someone's language for when their plummeting towards a building in what is increasingly becoming a screaming metal death-trap.

"Zero-Five, what the hell are you doing?!?" A sudden, frantic voice yelled across the intercom. Rei scowled at the sound, pulling on the joysticks more sharply than ever.

The Leo flipped itself, it's shape became more distinct in the distance with its feet were towards the ground. The roar of the thrusters became, simultaneously, louder… but also quieter, as though they were being reduced. Slowly.

It still aimed for the base. It's right hand tightened around a large gun. Rei smirked to himself, as his hand instantly flew to the controls of his suit- the next instant, the mobile suit spread it's legs out, into a much more balanced position, it's target on the screen, a reticule almost hovering over it. Rei's grin broadened slightly, as his hands found themselves on the controls once more- it was actually a fun idea. One little twitch of his thumb, and the entire base was gone…

"ZERO-FIVE!!"

Once more, the voice was ignored. By now, the mobile suit was near enough that the output winds cast the dusty coverings of the earth everywhere. Men, military officals inspecting the troops, glanced upwards as their hats were blown away. A jeep paused, those it transported, a young black man in a jacket glancing up, and ignoring the apologies being thrown around.

"Damn Rei…" he muttered under his breath. Wincing as the suit suddenly turned in mid-air, blasting towards a hanger.

"Trust that guy to show off…" he muttered to himself, waving slightly with his hand, a motion for the driver to continue where he was going.

"I'm sorry about that, really!" One of the Sergeants accompanying the youth commented, brushing him off instinctively- clearly the 'toady' kind of person. "Don't worry, I'll make sure he gets what's coming to him!"

Rather than seem irritated though, he merely smiled back grimly. "Yeah, he's getting what he deserves all right…" he muttered under his breath, the vehicles engine and the dust choking out his words in the air, the smell of oil doing the same to it's passengers…

"Phew." Rei leaned back in his seat, a grin spreading from ear to ear, as he admired his landing. To be even more precise, as he admired the damage to property his landing produced, the scared looks of the engineers of the mobile suits as they crowded around his own. "Maybe I went overboard?" he suggested to his Leo, as the screen in front of his vanished, and the chest of the suits slowly unfolded, exposing him, still lounging lazily in his seat, a bored expression. The opening descending, a diagonal line connecting the suit to the metal gantry, the boys helmet suddenly bouncing off it with a resounding ring, bouncing at one of the newly arrived workers feet, rolling off the edge of the getaway as Rei descended from his cockpit, running his hand through his hair, as though what he had done, the shocked expressions he was receiving… as though it meant nothing. The image of a lazy pilot. Merely another show of his arrogance.

"Was that… really necessary, sir?"

"Ya might wanna fix that radar, I think it's defective." He answered the rookie dismissively, not even turning as he did, instead accompanying it with a slight wave, shoving his hands in his pockets, slumping forwards as he did, resisting a smirk.

"You sure you just aren't the one defective?" came the reply, several of the others laughing in tandem to him. Rei, on the other hand, bristled with irritation, which naturally fuelled the laughter even more. For a moment, the boy seemed on the verge of turning, almost seeming to grind his teeth slightly. People had found out about his mistake already?

He grit his teeth, and fought down the urge to punch the laughing 'newb', forcing his feet to walk the path, enduring the walk of shame. Half of the goons who found his screw-up so funny now…

Most of them wouldn't even be here if I didn't save their asses! His scowl etched into his expression like a scar, stomping off and pausing for just a moment to throw his yellow pilots flak jacket to the hanger- which he missed- and contenting himself by slamming the door behind him, causing the entire wall around it to shake. The engineer's groaned slightly to themselves, before orders were barked out to continue with their work…

"Damnit." Rei muttered distastefully, as he dropped onto the familiar bed of his quarters, feeling it bounce beneath him satisfactory, as he placed his hands together beneath his head, one leg dangling off the slightly elevated bunk. Scowling slightly, and trying not to think about how humiliating this was turning out to be already, he turned his head, and glance at his desk. Finally, he realised, a slow smile spreading his face. My mess is right where I left it.

The entire desktop was cluttered with the usual- sordid magazines, a gun magazine, a couple pieces of scrap paper, and a number of photographs, including one in particular. One of the few to be placed in a frame, in fact.

He smiled privately, and sat up, glancing towards the frame. It was distorted with heat in front of the camera, but the quality remained constant- him on the right, ginning and laughing slightly, hand looped around the waist of the pretty blonde girl in the middle. On the opposite side, an African-American man was doing the same, his dreadlock-style hair covering parts of the sun glasses he wore, a grin on his expression. Both men wore bomber jackets, and, five seconds after the photo was taken, they'd realised they had their hands on top of one another, rather than the girls backside. Or, Rei had at least.

How old was this photo? Four or five years, at the absolute least, even if he hadn't changed much.

Besides getting a whole lot better, of course. He smirked, recalling how… green, he had been in those days. It was shameful in a way.

-Knock Knock-

Rei's head snapped around towards the thud at his door, face contorting to confusion for a moment. Was someone actually standing outside his door?

-Knock Knock-

He frowned. He'd been back five minutes, who the hell knew he was back alrea-

…Great. It was probably a military official, to chastise his actions. Again.

-Knock Knock!-

"Alright, fine, I'm coming!" he yelled in response to the disembodied knocking, scowling as he picked his way across his room. Five minutes, just five freakin' minutes! Was that Itoo much/i to ask?!

"What the hell do you wan-" he began sharply as he twisted the door handle, glancing towards the ground nonchalantly… until he found himself on top of it, of course, instead looking up and blinking at the man in the jacket, black over white, who grinned down at him.

"That's for keeping me waiting." The shaved-man stated. "It's no way to treat an old friend."

"Old friend?" Rei repeated in disbelief, frowning for a moment… before realisation seeped in, grinning as he leapt to his feet. "Talk about irony, I was just thinking about you Rhodey!" he commented with a laugh, which quickly turned to a frown. "Your sitting in my chair."

The black-skinned friend simply laughed, leaning back in his new position and glancing around the room.

"I see you haven't changed much." He commented lightly, picking up one of his magazines, and slowly leafing through it. He raised an eyebrow at several pictures. "Or at all, judging by this."

The pilot shrugged calmly, placing his hands in his pocket, in the fashion that says "You know me" receiving the look that replied "Far too well."

"Hows Titz?" Rei grinned- that was the Doggs-as many of the grunts at their old base had called themselves- nickname for Rhodes girlfriend, Angelina. One glance at the chest of her in the photo said why.

Rhodey sighed, and spun on the chair dis-heartedly

"Fine, I guess… she keeps getting more calls at the clinic, so I don't get a chance to keep her off her feet." He commented in disappointment. As he spoke, though, Rei couldn't help but notice something. According to Rhodey, he hadn't changed- true enough, looking at his photo… but his friend most defiantly had, weather it was his hair, his style, or the prosthetic leg, the reason he'd been taken out of service.

"Sucks dude." He instead replied calmly, before smirking. "Still, told ya it wouldn't last, now, it's mine turn."

The joke got a smile out of his friend. "Not likely." He commented enigmatically, reaching into his jacket slowly. "But… unfortunately, I'm not really here for pleasantries."

"Damn, and here I hoped it was an old-school reunion. Alright, then.. why are you here?"

The senior looked awkward, that much was clear. He cast a furtive glance around the room, before slowly withdrawing something. A slim, white page, with print upon it, an address, with the name "Izumi Rei" printed.

"Wow, so you're a mailman now?"

"Rei, this is important!" He replied sharply- his tone lost all joking attitude, as he reached for a beer. "You haven't grown up at all, you still take things too lightly…"

"Well, it's hard to be scared of a page." He replied slowly, sitting on the bed opposite him. "But alright, what's so serious then."

The letter was flicked across, landing beside him.

"Let me give you some advice before you read that…" Rhodey commented, slowly raising a hand and puling off his sunglasses, pocketing them. "Don't take the job."

"… have you been screening my mail?!" Thoughts of the letter promptly vanished, replaced with stares of shock. They were met with a laugh.

"Believe me, I had every right to. The Director of Foreign Affairs wanted to bring this to you personally. He had a grin on his face when he did. You know how he feels about you."

Rei nodded slowly- yeah, it was common knowledge. Those two hated each other, some kind of incident which involved Rei getting him thrown out of the military academy.

"The only reason I took it instead was because I was there and we're war buddies."

"So, you actually got into politics, huh?" came the vague response, the envelope already on the floor, letter in his hand, eyes scanning the page, before freezing.

"…what the hell's a Gundam?"

Rhodey smiled grimly.

"It's a secret project." He answered. "I can't let you know much, other than some basics, if ya decide to go… and even I'm not supposed to know."

Another glance around the room. What, was he scared it was bugged or something?

Then again.. that would be the kind of stunt the Rebels would pull…

"This is… some kinda mobile suit, yeah?"

Rhodes nodded. "Yep. Some all new proto-type, state of the art. I have no idea why they want you for it."

"Wow thanks. That makes me feel so special inside." Rei replied sarcastically. It was obvious why they wanted him, because he was the best. Rhodey was the only one near his level, and after his accident…. Well, there was no way he could pilot a suit anymore. His eyes travelled to the signature, and widened with mild surprise.

"MADAME director? A chicks in charge of this?!"

His friend grimaced, as though he had just sworn in church.

"I wouldn't call her a 'chick' my friend.. but… I need an answer." He added seriously. "Yes… or no."

Rei's eyes travelled back to the page. This sounded kinda interesting, and it meant he'd get away from the guys who were sure to have a laugh at his expense… hell, if it meant getting away from space for a couple of days, he was pretty much set for a decision!

He grinned.

"Sure, why not?" he declared, ignoring his friends advice.

The friend who sighed, almost disappointedly, and reached for another beer.

Next Time: Rei arrives at St.Victoria, and realises things aren't quite what they seem. Next Time: Operation 02: The Cast Assembles

OOC: Yeah… more scene setting, it should hopefully start with some serious quality next chapter, most of this is setting the scene so far, ya know? Anyways uh… if someone can tell me what they think of this, what was good, what was bad, that would really help me out. Thanks


End file.
